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Artwork for The Secret Lives of Games

The Secret Lives of Games

The Secret Lives of Games
UFO 50
Game Design
Game Development
De Mol
Caves Of Qud
Indie Games
Indie Game Development
Michael Brough
Slice & Dice
Block Koala
Discord
Flemish De Mol
Saltsea Chronicles
Strategy Games
Die Gute Fabrik
Rakshasa
Quibble Race
Spelunky
Star Waspir
Night Manor

Candid conversations with game creators that dive deep into the art, craft, and process of making games.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes275Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
LeisureVideo GamesGames

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Artwork for The Secret Lives of Games

Latest Episodes

We're joined by Izzy Kestrel (Funomena, No Goblin, A Good Videogame) and Alfredo Barraza (Riot Games) to discuss VESPER.5; a durational, tile-based exploration game. It's the sixth installment in our yearlong special series exploring the work of Mich... more

We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14).

Laura, Jey, and Doug recap Episode 9 - the Reunion / Reveal! How did The Mole do it?

Thanks for listening this season!

Join us on the Discord for tips on how ... more

We're joined by Michael Brough himself for a bonus chat on the thrilling occasion of 868-BACK's release day. Don't worry, we don't spoil the new game at all (except to say it's fantastic! Go buy it now on Steam!!) We discuss Michael's journey to this... more

We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14).

Laura, Jey, and Doug recap Episode 8 - the Finale! The Mole is finally unmasked.

That's about it for tourist season in Portgual (though big wave season starts a... more

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Michael Brough
Game developer known for 868-Hack, Corrupt, Synchro Palsh, Embroglia
Independent
Episode: All Systems Brough - A Chat with Michael
Tara McAllister
Mathematician, musician, game developer; listener letter writer
Episode: All Systems Brough - Corrypt
Tonda Ros
Game designer and creator of Blueprints
Blueprints / UFO 50 ecosystem
Episode: 156: Filling Buckets with Tonda Ros (Blue Prince)
Rand Zaga
Guest and author of Rand's amateur Zaga-33 Tips
Episode: All Systems Brough - Zaga-33
Andy Schatz
Indie developer and former IGF host, discussed as potential host and participant
Independent game development
Episode: 155: GDC 2026 LIVE Special!
Ben Rausch
Playtopia program director, Cape Town
Playtopia
Episode: 154: Gathering Community with Ben Rausch and Anja Venter (Playtopia)
Anya Venter
Assistant program director for Playtopia, producer at Free Lives
Playtopia/Free Lives
Episode: 154: Gathering Community with Ben Rausch and Anja Venter (Playtopia)
Joonas Turner
Sound designer and developer from Finland
Nuclear Throne team
Episode: 153: Returning to the Wasteland with Jan Willem Nijman, Joonas Turner, and Jukio Kallio (Nuclear Throne)
Jan Willem Nijman
JW, co-creator of Nuclear Throne
Nuclear Throne team
Episode: 153: Returning to the Wasteland with Jan Willem Nijman, Joonas Turner, and Jukio Kallio (Nuclear Throne)

Hosts

Douglas Wilson
Host with deep ties to the show, frequently contributing design critique and historical context.
Laura E Hall
Co-host and panelist with strong involvement in episode discussions and community-facing content.
Jey Bidoff
Co-host / panelist contributing to discussions and guest appearances.
Rob Dubbin
Host with a focus on design critique and industry context.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 269 ratings
  • Top Tier Game Dev Podcast

    If your game dev media is saturated with technical dev logs, market conditions, and AAA drama—then I’d recommend balancing your diet with a healthy helping of TSLOG (The Secret Lives of Games).

    Take a break from the hype and economics of indie games to dive deep into the art, craft, and process of making them. Hang out with a group of your old buddies you’ve never met, and discover corners of the games world you never knew you were missing.

    A must-listen for indie devs!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    brokmech
    United Statesa month ago
  • Good Show

    Makes me undulate happily whenever this comes on. I still don’t fully know why and should check with a doctor, but I think it feels good so I would say overall it’s a consensual experience.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    pdjfjfjk
    United Kingdom8 months ago
  • If you love hearing indie devs talk, there's no better podcast.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    ectafoole
    a year ago
  • Impeccable podcast with an impeccable community surrounding an impeccable game (and other games before and after this year). Perfect score.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Tikwid
    a year ago
  • Been listening a long time

    I remember when this show was about spelunky and I was desperate to listen to people talk about roguelikes. It’s always been a very good games podcast, but the UFO 50 series has changed it entirely. I already liked the hosts. But the guests change the dynamic so much week to week, and it’s a murderers row of literally the best indie devs on the planet. The voicemails, which started as basic call in comments, morphed into a psychedelic fusion of academic criticism and performance art. It’s been g... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bellinater
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High-quality analysis of game systems and design choices is a recurring strength.
Guests are often top-tier indie and academic voices.
Pace can be slow; some listeners wish for tighter editing.
Community engagement and thoughtful guest selection are highlighted positives.
Depth and rigor in design discussions are repeatedly praised.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

All Systems Brough - A Chat with Michael
Q: What does it mean for you to be making a game with your full self now?
Michael explains that the process is about integrating past experiences, patience, and a willingness to revisit earlier ideas, allowing a game to emerge from a mature, reflective place rather than a frantic production pace.
150: Making It Great with Kimmo Lahtinen (Sektori)
Q: Is that still a reasonable thing to do?
I think it's a bit of... Maybe it doesn't fit the device that well, but I have been considering it.
150: Making It Great with Kimmo Lahtinen (Sektori)
Q: What was your kind of logic or I guess gut instinct to include all of it all at once?
I wanted to make this a complete game because it's a very niche game and it never got any attention before release.
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Cyber Owls
Q: Izzy, what is the record?
The world record currently is 15 minutes and 22 seconds.
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Star Waspir
Q: What makes Star Waspir a unique experience compared to other games in UFO 50?
Its integration of difficult gameplay with a significant demand for skill and memorization sets it apart.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Secret Lives of Games

What is The Secret Lives of Games about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show features candid conversations with game creators, focusing on the art, craft, and process of making games. Episodes routinely explore design philosophy, systems thinking, and the practicalities of indie development, often foregrounding deep dives with designers, educators, and researchers. A standout aspect is the breadth of guests—from indie devs and academic thinkers to festival organizers—providing historical context, design critique, and hands-on insights into how games are built, tested, and shared with players. Listeners gain practical takeaways on iterative design, gameplay economy, and creative collaboration, making it valuable for aspiring designers, product teams, and studios seeking thoughtful, in-depth discussion beyon... more

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How many listeners does The Secret Lives of Games get?

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How many subscribers and views does The Secret Lives of Games have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Secret Lives of Games has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Secret Lives of Games?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Secret Lives of Games:

1. Post Games
2. Noclip Crewcast
3. Triple Click
4. The Besties
5. Into the Aether - A Low Key Video Game Podcast

How many episodes of The Secret Lives of Games are there?

The Secret Lives of Games launched 8 years ago and published 275 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Secret Lives of Games?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on The Secret Lives of Games?

Recent guests on The Secret Lives of Games include:

1. Michael Brough
2. Tara McAllister
3. Tonda Ros
4. Rand Zaga
5. Andy Schatz
6. Ben Rausch
7. Anya Venter
8. Joonas Turner

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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